


Old Injuries

by VanillaHorizon



Series: Natevember 2020 [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Gen, Natevember 2020, natevember
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:54:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27725783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaHorizon/pseuds/VanillaHorizon
Summary: It had been a very long day, no wonder Nate's recently healed arm is aching enough to keep him up.Day one of Natevember.(Rated teen and up for thinly veiled adult commentary)
Relationships: Female Amell & Nathaniel Howe, Female Mage & Nathaniel Howe, Nathaniel Howe & Surana
Series: Natevember 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028047
Kudos: 5





	Old Injuries

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I'm aware that I haven't even posted the last few prompts from the Fictober challenge, but to be fair, those aren't on this device and I don't exactly have wifi at my house right now, so I can't post them from home.  
> I'll be editing this later since I didn't get the chance to do it yet.  
> Prompt: Ache

In the Brecilian forest, Amanda, three of her wardens, and her newest recruit were setting up camp for the night after having had a very long day, complete with being captured by talking darkspawn and retrieving their gore covered gear from undead ghouls.

"Velanna, you can share my tent with me for the night, if that's okay."

The elf glanced over at her questioningly.

"It's either that or you can bunk with one of the boys, but Oghren's obscenely crass, and I don't think you quite care for Anders or Nate-" she was cut off by Anders opening his mouth.

"I don't mind if Nate wants to share a tent with me," he said as he sent a wink in the rogue's direction.

Nathaniel scoffed, "Not on your life, mage."

"Ouch, just when I thought we were becoming friends!" Anders pouted.

Amanda just shook her head in exasperation.

"I apologize for them, but my offer stands, granted if you wanted I could also bunk with one of them for the night instead."

"That's not necessary, I will share with you for the night."

Amanda nodded at the other woman and gave her a bright smile before turning her attention back to where Oghren and Nathaniel were now talking in hushed tones.

"In case any darkspawn try to attack during the night I don't want you on watch alone, Nate will be with you for the first half then Anders for the second half."

It wasn't something Amanda left up for debate from the tone of her voice so Velanna decided not to chance losing the only means to possibly helping her sister by opening her mouth on the subject.

"What about you, _Commander_?" the title still felt all too foreign on her tongue.

"Please, just call me Amanda, no one else calls me by my name anymore, and it about drives me up the wall-" she trailed off for a second before starting to speak again.

"And I'll be taking first watch, then I'll probably wake Nate for his turn."

Velanna nodded as she turned her gaze over to the rogue in question.

"So, you killed his father?"

"I killed a lot of people," she said in response.

"His father among them?"

Amanda let out a soft sigh before nodding an affirmation.

"Honestly, Nate had it in his mind to kill me, then he changed his mind and simply wanted something to remember his father by, but he was caught."

"And you recruited a man who wanted to kill you?"

The human couldn't help but smile, "I should let you meet Zevran if you think that's crazy."

"Should I ask?" Velanna raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Amanda let out a soft laugh before shaking her head, "Maybe you should get some sleep, Velanna," she suggested.

Hours later, Amanda had started to think about waking Nate for his watch when he stepped out of his tent before she could even think twice about it.

"Your watch doesn't start for a while yet," she told him.

"I know, I couldn't sleep anyway."

Amanda nodded, "Nightmares?" she asked.

He shook his head as he sat down beside her, "Not quite."

That was when she saw the rogue favoring his left arm.

"The cold isn't very good for injuries, is it?" she questioned as she glanced over to his recently healed arm.

"I'm just glad to be of use again."

Amanda resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him, and held out her hand toward him.

"Give me your arm." it wasn't a request, nor was it a command, but he knew her tone left no room for discussion on the matter.

"It's fully healed, Anders made sure of it before we set out."

She leveled him with a stare that had him lowering his head and presenting her with his arm.

"Just because it's healed doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt, Nathaniel," she pointed out as she ran her somewhat cold fingers down his arm.

"I take it that you know from experience or something?" he asked.

She only hummed an answer before he felt his arm suddenly engulfed in cold, causing him to instinctively try to pull away, which gained him a glare and a much tighter grip on his arm.

Amanda immediately scolded him and told him to hold still.

Only a mere moment later did a strangely pleasant warmth completely ease the ever-present ache in his arm.

"How did you-" he was cut off by Amanda letting out a soft laugh.

"Anders may be the healer in this particular little ragtag group of misfits, but I _do_ know some things about soothing aches and pains."

Nate nodded as he slowly pulled his arm from her grasp.

"Well, I thank you."

She smiled brightly at him, "You just have to ask next time and I'd be willing to help whenever you need me to."

Nate nodded, unsure of what else he could say, he stayed quiet after that.

"I'll let you take over now, remember to wake Velanna halfway through your watch, then Anders before you go back to sleep."

"Of course, Commander."

Her hand lingered on his shoulder as she walked by him and even though he didn't notice, she had urged a pulse of warming magic through his arm once more before heading off to get herself some rest.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're celebrating it, happy Thanksgiving to all of you wonderful people reading. If you don't celebrate it then I wish you happy holidays anyway.  
> If you don't know what Natevember is then you should check out 'Allisondraste' here on AO3 because they have a Natevember one-shot collection with the link to the Tumblr post that started this in the description of their work (I don't have any links on hand, sorry. While you're at it check out 'Marimoes' because they were working on Natevember as well.  
> All the love for one of my most favorite, frequently overlooked archers.


End file.
